Plant materials are known to provide health benefits when consumed. Fruit and vegetables contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, neutraceutical substances,minerals and vitamins and the like. A number of studies have demonstrated protection against chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and hypertension.
There are numerous types of phytonutrient types found in plant material, including alkaloids, betalains, carotenoids, chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, flavanoids, flavonoligans, Isothiocyanates, monoterpenes, organosulfides, phenolic compounds, sapanins and sterols.
Plant materials also contain water soluble vitamins such as vitamins C, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folate, B12, biotin and pantothenic acid. Water-soluble vitamins are not stored and are readily eliminated in the urine. Humans therefore require a continuous supply in the diet. Water soluble vitamins are available in many plant materials but are easily destroyed as a result of heating, exposure to air, alkaline or acidic conditions and light.
Eight of the water-soluble vitamins are known as the B-complex group: thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, biotin and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are widely distributed in plant material. Their actions are exerted in many parts of the body, functioning as coenzymes involved in the extraction of energy from food. They also are important for appetite, vision, skin, nervous system and red blood cell formation.
Vitamin C assists in maintaining cell integrity, aids in wound healing, bone and tooth formation, strengthens the blood vessel walls, is vital for the function of the immune system, and improves absorption and utilization of iron. This vitamin also helps prevent nutritional ailments such as scurvy. Vitamin C also serves as an antioxidant, working with vitamin E as a free-radical scavenger. Studies suggest that vitamin C may reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and cataracts. Vitamin C is not manufactured by the body, but must be constantly consumed. While the body has a constant need for vitamin C, it has a limited storage capacity.
From the above, it is clear that plant-based beverages are beneficial to health. However, there are negative health consequences associated with the consumption of fruit or vegetable beverages. For example, the total sugar content (glucose, fructose and sucrose) in such beverages elicits a rapid insulin or glycaemic response proportional to the sugar load. For optimum health, it is recommended that carbohydrate consumption should be predominantly from low GI foods. Beverages such as those derived from oranges and pineapples contain high amounts of simple sugars and therefore exhibit relatively high glycaemic indices.
Common medical conditions such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, are sugar sensitive, and are managed through minimal sugar intake through selection of foods on the basis of their sugar content. Furthermore, consumption of high or moderate GI plant material including their juices have been linked to weight gain and obesity as a result of calorie contribution of the sugar.
While beneficial to health, the consumption of fruits and vegetables can be inconvenient, or even problematic. For example, in solid form fruits and vegetables can be difficult or inconvenient, especially for children. Vegetables may be cooked to facilitate consumption; however this can destroy heat labile vitamins.
Both fruits and vegetables can be crushed or liquefied to form a beverage which is easily consumed. However problems exist in that, for example, suspended solids can make the beverage appear cloudy and provide for negative organoleptic and aesthetic properties. Furthermore, vegetable and fruit juices can be aesthetically unpleasing. During storage the various components can settle. Also during storage, some components can oxidise to provide alteration undesirable alterations to colouration, taste and aroma.
It is an aspect of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate a problem in the prior art to provide plant-based beverages having improved characteristics, or alternative characteristics to those known in the art.
The discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and the like is included in this specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all of these matters formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.